


Mammal Capable of Sustained Flight

by Niokuma



Series: Hauntober [13]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bats, Gen, Hauntober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26995486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niokuma/pseuds/Niokuma
Summary: Rio, Nioku, and Robert meet a mammal capable of sustained flight.
Series: Hauntober [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948978





	Mammal Capable of Sustained Flight

**Author's Note:**

> Rated G for General Animalness.  
> Original Work for Hauntober Prompt =Bat=  
> Characters: Eero, Rio, Nioku, Robert, Bituin

=Bat=

“We’re all out, yes?” The small feline looked at Rio, Nioku, and then at Robert before sitting on his haunches and proceeded to clean his face.

“You can talk,” Nioku gasped out, dropping to his feet and looking at him. “How?”

“Magic,” he replied, looking up at Nioku. “My name is Eero Javier. Mary tried to kill me many years ago but instead of being killed, I was turned into a cat. Somehow. Neither of us know how it happened. He flicked his tail and looked at Robert. “You have my condolences about your head. I’m sure you were quite attached to it.”

“Can he function without one,” Nioku asked.

“He’s a Whisperer,” Eero stated. “They form without heads. They’re decoration only. He’ll be fine physically. Your friends, though, they won’t last very long as dolls. I know some people who can help restore them to their normal forms but it will take work.”

“We’re willing to do almost anything that’s needed,” Rio stated. “We won’t deal with blood or flesh, though.”

“Nothing like that, just go visit my friends at certain locations. Let me know when you’re ready for me to list the locations.”

Rio pulled out his phone and frowned. “My battery is low. How’s yours, Nioku?”

“I don’t normally use my phone. The battery’s usually full.” He pulled out his phone and opened up a text app. “Ready.”

After listing names and destinations, Eero started grooming himself. “You’re better off going together. “After you speak with everyone, head to the last destination I gave you. We will meet you there.” He then stopped and dashed away.

\---

Rio, Nioku, and Robert rushed to the first destination. It was a massive, old church house, dilapidated and gray. The door was barred shut but part of the top was missing.

Rio folded his arms and examined the barred door. “How’re we gonna get in? We don’t have Tiok. He’d be able to muscle his way in there.”

Nioku shrugged. “We can find a window and break in.” He watched as Rio walked around the building.

“The cellar doors are unlocked,” Rio called out and both Nioku and Robert went over to join him. Rio grunted as he tried to open the door but huffed. “Damn. I think it’s rusted shut. Help me, Nioku.” Nioku nodded and joined Rio, yanking the door open with a might, synchronized tug.

“You did it,” Robert shouted out, cheering.

Rio and Nioku looked at each other and shared a high five before going into the cellar.

“Ew, it smells horrible in here,” Rio said, covering his face and mouth.

“Is this,” Nioku shined his phone’s light at the floor and gagged. “Guano.”

“What are those,” Robert asked, pointing up at the ceiling and both Rio and Nioku slowly looked up. Nioku almost dropped his phone when he saw the swarm. He screamed and dashed up the stairs, startling the swarm. Rio ducked low, covering his head with his hands as so many small mammals capable of sustained flight flew out of the cellar. Even when the screeching stopped, Rio remained crouching.

“They’re gone,” a woman’s voice called out and he stood, looking around. “I’m on the ceiling.” Rio looked up and saw a massive flying fox. “My name is Bituin Rojas.”

“You’re, you’re a,” Rio couldn’t find the words as he stared at her.

“Golden-crowned flying fox,” she supplied. “The largest mammal capable of sustained flight. Yes. What are you doing here, disrupting my cloud?”

“Eero Javier sent us,” Rio stated, motioning to Robert who was still standing there.

“Why don’t we bring this conversation outside so you can actually breathe,” she suggested and took flight.

“Ah! A big one!”

Rio sighed, took Robert’s hand, and followed after Bituin.

When he could breathe again, Rio looked over at Nioku who was hiding underneath the door of the cellar. “Didn’t know you had a fear.”

Nioku crawled out from his hiding spot and looked up at the “I don’t have chiroptophobia, they, they just startled me. Especially her.” He pointed at Bituin who was hanging onto a tree, watching them. “She’s a golden-crowned flying fox, she eats fruits.”

“Yellow one, you told me Eero Javier sent you, what is it that he needs?”

“He told us you can help us restore our family from this state,” Rio said, pulling out the doll of Tiok. “Can you help?”

“Yes, I can help,” she answered. Bituin flew down to and landed on Rio to get a better look at the doll. “Looks a bit like you two. Brother?”

Nioku approached. “Triplets. The three of us are triplets.” He picked up the Tiok doll and examined it. “How did the dire wraith do this?”

“I guess she’s much more powerful than we first thought,” Rio stated.

“Mary the dire wraith?” Nioku and Rio looked at Bituin and nodded. “She’s a very powerful caster. She shouldn’t be taken lightly. I will join Eero and wait for you. Be safe. And find that one a head.” She motioned to Robert before dropping off of Rio’s arm and took flight after falling a couple of feet.

“I thought they were only in the Philippines,” Nioku stated. “Maybe she was cured before leaving home?”

“How do you know her species is only found in the Philippines,” Rio asked, turning his attention from the sky to Nioku.

“Chiropterology.”

“Full of surprises.”

“When you’re sedentary and got no friends, you gotta figure out what to do with your time,” Nioku stated.

“Why flying mammals specifically, though?”

Nioku shrugged and took out his phone. “We gotta go to the next area.”


End file.
